Wiktionary

nahual

English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Spanish nahual, from Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (“sorcerer, spirit, animal form a person may take”).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /nəˈwɑːl/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun edit

nahual (plural nahuals)

  1. (Mesoamerican mythology) An animal form which a person may take.
    She has a nahual for every day of the week.
  2. (Mesoamerican mythology) A person who is able to take an animal form.
    They suspected that the man was a nahual.

Derived terms edit

See also edit

Spanish edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (“sorcerer”).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /naˈwal/ [naˈwal], /naˈɡwal/ [naˈɣ̞wal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: na‧hual
  This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Noun edit

nahual m (plural nahuales)

  1. (Central America, Mexico) sorcerer
    Synonyms: brujo, hechicero
  2. (Central America, Mexico) healer, witch doctor
    Synonym: curandero
  3. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (animal form which a person may take)
    Synonym: tonal
  4. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (person able to take animal form)

Descendants edit

  • → English: nahual

References edit

  • Carlos Montemayor et al. (2009) Diccionario del náhuatl en el español de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, page 93

Further reading edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=nahual&oldid=78747459"